


Quiet Affections

by outrundestinyandfate



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Caring Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Episode Fix-It: s01e06 Rare Species, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia is Bad at Communicating, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oblivious Jaskier | Dandelion, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23901352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outrundestinyandfate/pseuds/outrundestinyandfate
Summary: The first time it happens, Jaskier is not quite sure what to make of it and ends up brushing it off as Geralt doing something nice for him for once.Jaskier nearly dies (not really) the second time it happens.aka five times Geralt showed that he cares and one time that Jaskier finally realized why.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 23
Kudos: 593





	1. Chapter 1 - Moments I and II

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing and publishing a fanfic, please bear with me. I really love 5 + 1 fics and I also love Geraskier, so here I am combining the two!

**I.**

The first time it happens, Jaskier is not quite sure what to make of it and ends up brushing it off as Geralt doing something nice for him for once.

It starts with their journey to the next town, Geralt in hopes of finding more work and Jaskier in hopes of sleep in an actual bed for a few nights instead of sleeping on the ground. At this point they had been walking all day, well, Jaskier had been walking all day with Geralt riding alongside of him on his horse Roach. Jaskier felt the sun beating down his back as they traveled across the dusty path in relative quietness. Usually Jaskier would try to fill the silence, but right now he was worried about something else entirely than trying to provide entertainment to his travelling companion.

His feet were _killing_ him. They had stopped briefly about halfway into their journey, long enough for Geralt to take down a pack of wolves that he could hear, but that was hours ago at this point, and Jaskier was ready for another break or he swore that his feet were going to fall off. That would be it, end of the line for the bard.

Despite how much they hurt though, he was not going to cave in and complain to Geralt about. He was not going to ask the witcher to stop and take a break. No, none of that. Jaskier already knew what Geralt was going to say to him if he did. _I told you to invest in better shoes bard._ He would say with the smuggest of smirks on his face, probably delighting in Jaskier’s pain. And boy was Jaskier stubborn. He was not going to give Geralt the satisfaction of telling him basically I told you so. Not today.

Jaskier grinned at the thought, but he winced as another shot of pain went through his foot. Letting out a small noise of discomfort, he paused in the middle of the road, hoping some of the pain would alleviate because he had stopped walking. _Maybe I should take his advice and buy a pair of proper boots once we get to town,_ he thinks to himself, looking down at his boots as he shook his foot out. _Especially if I want to keep travelling with Geralt._

Lost in thought, Jaskier didn’t notice the way Geralt had also paused up ahead, his golden eyes watching the bard as he shook his feet out. When Jaskier finally did look up after adjusting his lute, Geralt was moving ahead still and he raced to catch up to him. Geralt didn’t say anything as he fell in step beside him once again, but Jaskier had an inkling that Geralt was waiting for _him _to say something.__

__“How much longer do we have until the next town?” Jaskier asked, unable to keep the silence between them any longer._ _

__“We’ll make it before the sun sets,” Geralt grunted out, “Why do you ask? Do you need another break?” And the way he says that Jaskier knows that Geralt is poking fun at him._ _

__“What? No! I am simply fine Geralt, very peachy. I feel like I can walk for the rest of the day,” he responds, and as if to prove his point, he speeds up to walk ahead of Geralt and Roach. He refuses to slow down or turn back, he is not giving in. “How long do you think we will stay? I was thinking we could stay for a couple of nights. Let me work the crowds at the inn and earn some coin while you are off doing your witchering business…Geralt what are you doing?” Geralt had caught up with him, bringing Roach to a stop causing Jaskier to stop as well._ _

__“Come on,” Geralt says, holding his hand out. Jaskier stared at his hand for a minute then looked up at Geralt, who looked everywhere but at Jaskier. “Get on the horse, bard.”_ _

__“Are you feeling well? Did you get poisoned or something because the Geralt of Rivia that I know would never, _ever_ let another person ride on his horse with him-”_ _

__“Jaskier, do not make me regret offering.” His tone is final and decisive. Jaskier grabs his hand, letting Geralt pull him up to settle behind him. Roach shuffles a bit at the new weight, before moving again. Unprepared, Jaskier immediately wraps his arms around Geralt’s waist to not fall off. When Geralt doesn’t shrug him off, he rests his head against Geralt’s back mumbling a quick thank you, grateful that he is off his feet and will be until they get to town._ _

__Roach pulls into town just as the sun is starting to set in the distance, right as Geralt said they would. There are still a few villagers roaming around, some stalls still open and people selling items as Geralt leads Roach to the inn. Once he has both feet on the ground, he stretches from the day’s journey and watches as Geralt follows in suite. He can hear the voices coming from the inn. A pleasant buzz starts to form inside him at the thought that there will be a crowd for him to perform for tonight along with food, drink, and rest finally. By the sound of the voices, he’ll probably earn enough coins that he can use to pay for his meal and hopefully enough to also get a new pair of boots, ones better equipped for the road, the next day._ _

__“Geralt, I’m going to head in and try to convince the innkeeper that they need entertainment for the night in exchange for a room to stay in. I’ll get us some food as well.”_ _

__Geralt finishes tying Roach up in one of the stalls that they have for horses, patting her mane before walking over to Jaskier. He pulls out his pouch of coins, opening it up and dumping a few into his hand. After handing them over to Jaskier, he says, “I’m going look for work.” With that, he stalks away in the other direction of the inn, leaving Jaskier to head inside. Jaskier shakes his head but turns on his heel and pushes the door to the inn open. He is greeted by loud voices of celebration and excitement; he feels right at home._ _

__Jaskier has his charms, so he is easily able to convince the innkeeper to let him play a few songs in exchange for a room for him and Geralt. It somehow ended up being a deal that allows Jaskier to keep the room each night that he plays, which is what he was aiming for. Now he only needed to convince Geralt to stay more than one night when he got back._ _

__Hours passed as Jaskier played and danced around the inn, enticing other customers and patrons to join along in the entertainment. He ends the night off with the fan favorite and highly requested, _Toss a Coin to Your Witcher_ , delighting in the way that everybody is singing along to it. Late in the night, he heads up to the room, still buzzed from all the energy. Upon entering the room, he finds Geralt already asleep or at least pretending to sleep, making Jaskier realize he hadn’t seen the man all evening. Jaskier didn’t concern himself too much with it though, and instead chose to strip and slip into the bed, sleep overtaking him quickly._ _

__In the morning, sunlight filters in through the window, resting itself on Jaskier’s face as he sleeps. He wakes up suddenly when a force pushes him out of bed. “Get up, we have a long day ahead,” the witcher says, the corner of his mouth twitching upward as he watches Jaskier flail in the blanket._ _

__“Good grief Geralt, was it really necessary to push me out of bed? Couldn’t you have just shook me awake or say, ‘wake up Jaskier’ or I don’t know, _let me sleep_ ,” Jaskier snarked, rubbing his eyes. “And I was thinking that maybe we could stay here for a couple of nights. The room is ours as long as I play each evening.”_ _

__“Have work. I’m leaving, either come or don’t.” Geralt makes his way out of the room, leaving Jaskier calling after him, then scrambling to get ready and get his stuff together. He pauses when he comes across a box with his name on it on top of where he threw his garments the night before. Confusedly, he picks it up and opens it. Inside of the box is a pair of brown boots, suitable for the walking in comparison to his current boots. He smiles softly to himself as he gets dressed and pulls the new boots on._ _

__When he gets downstairs, hoping Geralt hasn’t left yet, he finds the witcher waiting for him, packing up his gear on Roach before moving to another horse, white-haired and brilliant, next to Roach. As he approached them, Geralt turns with the reins of the white horse in hand. He glances down at Jaskier feet, and Jaskier swears he sees the slightest nod of approval, before held the reins out to Jaskier._ _

__“What? Geralt, a horse? No I can’t accept, the boots, and don’t try to pretend it wasn’t you, were already enough,” but when Geralt glares and doesn’t back down, Jaskier takes the reins and moves closer to the horse, petting it._ _

__“Maybe now you’ll stop complaining so much and we can get to places faster.” Jaskier whips his head around at Geralt, ready to say that he _does not_ complain that much…okay maybe a little bit, but at the slight upturned corner of Geralt’s lips, Jaskier just shakes his head and laughs._ _

__“You think you are _so_ funny, Geralt,” he says as he climbs onto his horse that he ends up naming Pegasus. As they set off and make their way out of town, Jaskier elects to ignore the warmth that is spreading throughout him and the way his heart swelled. _ _

__

__**II.** _ _

__Jaskier nearly dies (not really) the second time it happens._ _

__Geralt had insisted that Jaskier stay behind with the horses in town while he went and hunted down whatever monster of the week it is this time. However, Jaskier was adamant about sticking by the man’s side and joining him, in hopes of getting details for new songs since it was always a struggle to get the details from the witcher himself. This was Jaskier’s first mistake. He should have just stayed behind he realizes now._ _

__He is breathing heavily as he hides behind a tree, watching from afar as the fight between Geralt and the grotesque beast goes on. The monster had come out of nowhere it seems as they were waiting for nightfall. Geralt had warned him to get back and stay put, threatening to take away the horse if he didn’t. Jaskier listened for once, not wanting to be caught in between the witcher and the monster before him._ _

__Geralt is holding his own against the beast, and from what Jaskier can tell, he appears to be winning too. It probably wouldn’t take too much longer before the beast is down and they can head back to where they were camping at._ _

__Out of the corner of his eye he spots movement coming from across the forest. A similar beast slinks its way out of the thicket, slowly heading in the witcher’s direction. “Geralt!” he yells making the witcher’s eyes find him, before looking in the direction that Jaskier is pointing. The distraction causes Geralt to get knocked back from the first beast, sword flying away from him. _Shit._ While Geralt may have another sword, he needs the silver one to kill these monsters specifically, he remembers._ _

__Jaskier doesn’t think, he acts. His second mistake. He breaks out from behind the tree and runs in the direction of the sword, yelling, hoping to distract the beasts long enough for Geralt to get up and possibly attack once Jaskier is able to get the sword closer to him. Oh, he manages to grab the sword and toss the heavy thing in Geralt’s direction alright, but the next he knows is his back is hitting a tree after the second beast swipes at him. He crumples on the ground upon impact. _This is it; this is where I die._ He squeezes his eyes shut, can feel the tears pricking at them both from the pain and the fact that he is scared, he is terrified. He can hear the monster get close and closer and he is going to die until-_ _

__Only the killing blow never comes, and instead Jaskier can hear the roars of the beast get cut off. He still has his eyes shut, when he feels a hand run across his face, coming to rest at his neck in a comforting squeeze. It is momentary though, quick and fleeting as if it didn’t happen, and when he opens his eyes, Geralt is close to him. “Jaskier,” he starts softly, “That was the most idiotic thing you have ever done,” yet holds out his hand to help Jaskier up anyways. Jaskier groans, his whole body aching and fighting against him as he tries to stand without falling._ _

__“You were supposed to stay put,” Geralt reprimands, wrapping one arm around Jaskier’s waist and dragging Jaskier’s arm around his shoulder, forcing Jaskier to lean all of his weight onto him, and helping him walk back in the direction of where they set up camp._ _

__“Yes Geralt, let me just stay put and watch you die and get eaten by two enormous beasts. What an excellent plan that is, dear witcher. Next time I’ll take into consideration that you have a death wish,” Jaskier grumbles, before letting his frustration simmer down. “I was just trying to help you. I didn’t want to see you get hurt because I stood back and didn’t do anything.”_ _

__“You nearly got yourself killed. I had it under control, Jaskier. Don’t risk your life like that again.” Geralt does not leave any room for argument, and Jaskier does not have it in him right now to start one. He is too exhausted and just wants to sleep all of this away. They fall into a steady silence as they tumble their way through the woods back to the camp._ _

__Finally getting there, Geralt sets him down on his bedroll and quickly moves to get a fire going. Jaskier watches him as he moves back and forth between the fire and his pack, before settling to look at just the fire when it starts to grow. He doesn’t notice that Geralt has returned to him until he feels a touch on his knee. Geralt makes him drink out of one of the vials he got out of his pack. _For healing purposes._ He also brought with him the strips of fabric for bandaging and another vial that was probably for getting rid of infections. Geralt first wiped down most of the blood from cuts that Jaskier did not even realize he had. He must have hit the tree and the ground a lot differently then he thought he had. Once he was done, Geralt dumped the liquid of the other vial onto another rag before pressing it to the first cut. Jaskier hissed at the sensation as it burned until Geralt moved onto the next one._ _

__He tried to not focus on what Geralt was doing to distract himself, instead focusing on Geralt himself. The witcher was in a messy state, hair falling everywhere. He looked tired and his shirt was ripped and Jaskier eyes lingered at the gashes underneath where Geralt’s shirt was ripped, claw marks dragging across his chest._ _

__“Geralt, you’re bleeding.” Jaskier says, his voice a little more than a whisper. Geralt grunts in response, acknowledging what he said, but continuing to bandage Jaskier up. “Geralt, stop worrying about me, you’re bleeding.”_ _

__“Stop fretting, Jaskier, I will heal. I will be fine.” Geralt replies, wrapping the last bandage tight. When he is done, he goes to move away only to be stopped by Jaskier grabbing his wrist._ _

__“Please, if not for your comfort, then do it for me.” And surprisingly to Jaskier, Geralt allows him to pull him back down and grab the supplies he used for Jaskier. He makes quick work of it after Geralt removes his ruined shirt (which Jaskier will patch for him when he gets a hold of it tomorrow). His fingers are light as they dance across Geralt’s skin, doing the same for him as Geralt had done for him. When he finishes putting the last bandage in place, he rests his hand against Geralt’s chest, long enough to feel the slow heartbeat underneath. They are stuck in the moment, both quiet and both not moving._ _

__Geralt eventually moves, his hand coming to rest around the back of Jaskier’s neck, giving a comforting squeeze again and Jaskier’s breath hitches. “Rest,” He murmurs, pulling away and letting Jaskier fall back to lay on his bedroll. Geralt goes to his own bedroll, but sits with his back against the tree, seeming to be keeping watch for the night. So many thoughts race through Jaskier’s head, replaying the moment, wanting to question Geralt and his actions. Sure, Geralt has patched him up before, but nothing like that, nothing so caring as that. He finds himself settling on something else though._ _

__“Will you teach me to fight?” Jaskier hears himself asking out of nowhere. They may have both survived tonight, but what if that is not the case next time. He wants to be helpful; he wants to learn. Obviously, he isn’t going to be anything like the witcher in terms of fighting, especially fighting creatures, but if he can learn just a few things, enough to protect himself or to help Geralt out in a tough situation, that would be enough. For a couple of minutes, Geralt doesn’t respond, and Jaskier is about to ask again._ _

__“Yes.” And that is that._ _

__Jaskier turns over to sleep on his back, content. He falls further and further into drowsiness when he hears a quiet, “I don’t want to watch you die either.” Upon hearing that, Jaskier’s heart flutters, the bard soon succumbing to unconsciousness afterwards._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and these first two moments of the five! The plan for this fic is to be broken up into 3 chapters. Moments 3 and 4 will be in chapter 2 with moment 5 and +1 in chapter 3.


	2. Chapter 2 - Moments III and IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third time that it happens, Jaskier has a startling realization about himself, not about Geralt.
> 
> The fourth time happens after Jaskier is reminded that he nearly died (for real this time).

**III.**

The third time that it happens, Jaskier has a startling realization about himself, not about Geralt.

Jaskier is a bard. He loves to create music, sing, and sharing what he creates with others. He thrives from playing for a group of people. This is exactly why he forced Geralt into stopping at the next town so he can do exactly just that. He has a new song that he has been working on for the past couple of weeks, and he wants to test it out on an actual audience, not just the witcher. 

Jaskier watches Geralt as he sits in the corner of the tavern, focused on his meal while Jaskier plays on stage, drawing the lingering townsfolk into his performance. His eyes are drawn away by a group of rough looking men walking through the door. They settle at a table near Geralt, and Jaskier cannot help but see the way their bodies tense up at the sight of the witcher. _This could spell trouble_ , he thinks, yet he continues to focus on his performance. 

He gets through a couple of songs that are his favorites to play, some songs that are requested by a few of the eager townsfolk, before finally coming to the song he has been dying to test out all night. He hops off the stage only to pull a chair from a nearby table to return to the stage with. He sits down on it, crossing his ankles and fiddling with his lute. This song is slower, more tender, and perfect to end the evening with. A song about love and fate and the stars. With a soft start he gets into it.

Only he isn’t able to finish it. For the first minute or so everything is fine, but just as he is about to get into the second verse, he can hear the raised and harsh voices from the men who had walked in. 

“I don’t why such ab-abominable creatures are allowed here… all these mutants do is cause trouble for the rest of us.”

“Emotionless bastards, all they care for is the coin.”

“Fucking unnatural butchers is what they are, killing people left and right.”

Jaskier abruptly stops playing at their hate-filled words. He looks to the innkeeper who continues to wipe down the bar, pointedly ignoring the men. He looks to Geralt, who is purposely looking out the window. Enhanced hearing or not, Jaskier knows that Geralt can hear them due to their proximity, but he also knows that Geralt won’t do anything about it, pretend that it doesn’t affect him. Whether the men are looking for trouble or not, just because Geralt won’t do anything about it doesn’t mean that Jaskier is going to stand by and let it happen. He puts his lute down, standing up and stepping off the stage. 

“Excuse me gentlemen,” he starts, getting their attention. “I can’t help but overhear the nasty and cruel things you are saying.” 

They rise at him approaching, looking ready for a fight. Jaskier isn’t afraid of them though even as they get into his personal space.

“What business is it to you _bard_ ,” the man on his left sneered, taking a step closer to Jaskier. 

“Well honestly, it is quite distracting to my performance, but you’re also saying incredibly rude things about a dear friend of mine, so how about you fucks shut up and let the night end peacefully or fucking leave,” he spat. When they laugh at him, he furrows his brows, glaring at them. 

“You’re _that_ bard, the monster’s whore-” one of the men begins to say, but isn’t able to get much further because Jaskier sees red. He is throwing his arm back, hand clenched into a fist, and driving it into the man’s face. He does this again and again until an arm is wrapping around his waist, pulling him off. The men are scrambling away further into the tavern. The one man that Jaskier punched is holding his nose, his lip is split, and he has a bruise forming around his right eye. Jaskier strains against Geralt’s arm as he drags him out of the tavern, protesting.

“Geralt, let me go, I’m not done.”

“Yes, you are, stop it.”

Once they are far enough away, Jaskier finally manages out of Geralt’s grasp. He turns around to face the witcher and is ready to argue with him for bringing him out here, for not letting him cause a scene. He freezes at the sight in front of him. He was expecting Geralt to be angry, to be frustrated with him.

He was not expecting Geralt’s eyes to hold such a warmth to them, a fondness that Jaskier has never seen before. His eyes catch the light of the setting sun, making the gold shine brighter than ever. He could sip the sunlight from those eyes. It makes him feel warm, the anger and adrenaline in him fading, the red haze clearing from his eyes. He can feel his cheeks heat up, so he forces himself to look away. 

Geralt’s hand grabs his chin gently, forcing him to look back at him. His eyes are not meeting Jaskier’s, instead scanning his face for any scrapes and bruises from the fighting. They linger on his lip where its split from the one punch the man got in.

“I’m fine, Geralt, really. You should see the other guy.” He tries to joke, but Geralt’s eyes snap to his. “Seriously Geralt, I’m fine. He fucking deserved it. They all did. They were saying awful things about you, things that just aren’t _true_.” 

He is about to say more, but then Geralt’s pulling him in and _oh_ he’s hugging him. Geralt of Rivia is hugging him. It is unexpected, causing Jaskier to let out a startled laugh before wrapping his arms around the man in return. 

“Geralt, if I would’ve known you were this great of a hugger, I would have gotten into a fight much sooner,” Jaskier can’t help but lightly tease, wiggling in Geralt’s hold as if to prove his point. He can hear Geralt huff before he abruptly steps back, hand still on Jaskier’s shoulder. 

“Thank you.” How can two words possibly mean so many things at once, and from the look on Geralt’s face, he means them all. There are so many things Jaskier could say, wants to say. He settles for patting the hand on his shoulder, and then giving it a light squeeze. 

Geralt pulls away and tells him to wait there, heading back to the tavern. Jaskier stares dumbfoundedly at his retreating figure.

When Geralt comes back, he has Jaskier’s lute in hand. Jaskier lights up at the sight of his lute, making grabby motions at it once Geralt gets closer.

He delights when Geralt hands it over, “I thought I would have to leave it behind and get a new one, since I don’t think I’m going to be allowed back in there for a while.”

“I wasn’t going to let you leave it behind, I know how much your music means to you Jaskier. Come on, let’s get back to the inn. You can play me your new song in the room.” He starts walking away in the direction of the inn, leaving Jaskier behind.

“Wait, really? I thought you didn’t care for my singing Geralt. Are you telling me you actually secretly enjoy it? Geralt? Geralt!”

It’s later that night while Jaskier is playing for Geralt in their room when their eyes meet again. Geralt is focused on him and Jaskier _likes_ that. He likes the way he has Geralt’s attention, he likes when Geralt touches him, and he would do anything for the man…

 _Fuck. I am in love with Geralt._

Even at that startling realization, Jaskier continues to play. They planned to go their separate ways in a couple of days though, Jaskier heading to play at a banquet and Geralt heading north, but it will give him time figure things out. He can’t let Geralt know; he will keep his feelings to himself. Jaskier isn’t going to let his feelings ruin his relationship with who he considers his best and closest friend, especially when the witcher couldn’t possibly have feelings for him. Right?

IV.

The fourth time happens after Jaskier is reminded that he nearly died (for real this time).

_Jaskier stumbles upon Geralt and Roach in the woods, Geralt appearing to be fishing for something in the water and Roach munching on some nearby grass. He wasn’t intentionally trying to find him…or maybe he was? It had been months possibly since he had last seen him, though it felt like years. When he had heard that the witcher was in town, he knew he would find him eventually._

_Jaskier does what he does best. Talks. He asks questions. He talks about his recent “lover”, the Countess de Stael, who had left him (though he lies, and what he doesn’t confess is that it was actually on mutual terms, after she encouraged him to go find and bother his witcher instead, having enough of Jaskier’s pining over Geralt). Geralt doesn’t seem to be listening to him, too focused on whatever he is trying to find. When he moves to a new spot, Jaskier trails after him, trying to get the man to speak to him._

_“What are you fishing for exactly? Is it cod? Carp? Pike?” He eventually asks, continuing to list off fish, genuinely curious on what has the witcher’s full attention._

_“I’m not fishing. I can’t sleep.” He finally speaks, and Jaskier’s heart softens slightly at the nonsense of what he said, more concerned with the fact that the witcher hasn’t been sleeping._

_“Right. Good. Well that…that makes sense. Insomuch that it sort of… doesn’t. What’s going on Geralt? Talk to me.”_

_Geralt pauses and looks at him directly, his brows knitted together. Jaskier can see how worn out he is, the unsureness lingering behind his eyes. He tells him about the djinn, and Jaskier’s first instinct is to question it and then laugh, because really a djinn? It wasn’t the right thing to do, because Geralt gets heated, voice turning snappish at Jaskier’s comments._

_Jaskier tries to help, he really does. He suggests that this is potentially more than just about Geralt’s lack of sleep. Jaskier knows that Geralt wasn’t alright after the whole Law of Surprise and destiny thing, but Geralt doesn’t agree. And then somehow, they’re bickering about Jaskier’s singing. Honestly, Jaskier has had enough. He understands Geralt is dead tired, enough to want to find a djinn to make him sleep, but he doesn’t need to take it out on Jaskier._

_“You need a nap!” Jaskier says, fully intending on dragging the witcher back to town to make him get some sleep. But then Geralt pulls a weirdly shaped bottle out of the water. The djinn…_

_Things start to flash in pieces. They’re arguing. It’s getting darker and the wind is picking up. He feels the hand pull him back by his doublet. Jaskier can feel himself speaking, but can’t hear the words until,_

_“I just want some damn peace!”_

_“Well here’s your peace!” The bottle smashes against the ground. Geralt tries to gather up the pieces._

_“Geralt…Geralt.” And then Jaskier can’t breathe. His throat is swelling. The wind is howling in his ears. He falls, hand on his throat.  
There’s blood. All he can taste is the blood rising and spilling out of his mouth, down his chin, and onto the ground. He feels hands on him, trying to pull him along. He’s wheezing. He can’t breathe, he can’t breathe. Come on, breathe. Breathebreathebreathe…_

Jaskier wakes up with a start, sweating. It’s dark, the night surrounding him and closing in. He can’t _breathe_. He needs to _breathe_. His hands instantly go to his throat, feeling the smooth skin there, no swelling to be felt. His heart pounds in his ears, reminding him he is awake and that he is fine. He is just _fine_. That was long ago and not now. It’s not the djinn. 

When a hand gently touches his back though, he jumps. He goes to shake the hand off, but he realizes it’s just Geralt when he sees the man’s face come into his line of sight. The campfire illuminates his face just enough for Jaskier to see the concern written there.

Geralt doesn’t crowd him, just keeps moving his hand up and down Jaskier’s back until Jaskier is able to take a shaky breath. He keeps doing this until finally he can take in a deep breath, which allows him to calm down even further. At this Geralt settles down next to him, pulling Jaskier closer until he is holding him. He still doesn’t say anything, just lets Jaskier continue to focus on breathing. Jaskier leans into the touch, leaning his head on Geralt’s shoulder.

When he feels like himself again, he starts to pull away, not wanting to inconvenience the witcher any further after waking him up. Geralt doesn’t let him go though, so Jaskier settles back into his hold. 

After a couple of minutes, the witcher finally asks, “Was it about the djinn?” 

“Yes,” he says shakily, and Jaskier is honestly ashamed. Not once in the numerous years he has been traveling with Geralt has he had nightmares. But then the djinn incident happened. He has gotten himself into dangerous situations with Geralt before, but this time it was different. It almost made death a reality. If it weren’t for Geralt getting him help and then Yennefer saving his life, he wouldn’t have survived awfully long. His mind likes to remind him of that almost every night, how he could not breathe, how his throat was swelling, and his voice lost.

He remembers it so vividly, so these memories consume him when he sleeps at night. 

“How long?”

He didn’t want to impose on Geralt, didn’t want the witcher to think he’s weak, so he’s been doing his best to avoid having Geralt find out. Sleeping in separate rooms when they’re staying in town and choosing to stay in town rather than going on the hunt with Geralt. The witcher didn’t point out Jaskier’s different behavior so he kept it up.

“Since the incident.” Jaskier honestly admits, and Geralt’s arms tighten around him for a second before relaxing, a sigh escaping from his lips.

“This is why you’ve been acting strange lately, isn’t it?” 

“Sorry, I just didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to think I couldn’t handle travelling with you anymore.”

“You nearly _died_ , Jaskier. I would never think that you weren’t able to handle travelling with me. You’ve proven me wrong so many times already.” Geralt says softly, breath tickling the back of his neck. “I just wish you would have told me sooner.”

“Oh, like you’re the champion of communicating?” Jaskier teases slightly, which Geralt playfully swats him for. “I know what you mean though.”

At Geralt’s nudging, Jaskier takes it as it’s time to let go and try to go back to sleep. He lets go of him and lays back down on his bedroll. He thinks that Geralt is going to go back to his own bedroll but is surprised when Geralt lays down next to him, shuffling close to throw an arm over Jaskier’s side, forehead pressing into Jaskier’s back. 

“Geralt?” Jaskier whispers, but doesn’t go any further, doesn’t want to make the witcher go away. He wants to question, yet he doesn’t, content to just be wrapped in the witcher’s arms for a bit. They have done this before, on colder nights when camping out, this isn’t anything different. He is just comforting Jaskier, that’s all. And well, honestly, it is soothing as he feels the rest of the fear drain out of him. 

“You shouldn’t have had to go through that. You came close to dying and it would have been because of me. I don’t know why you still insist on staying.”

“Hey, hey, don’t do that,” Jaskier turns over so he is facing the witcher. “You saved me, I’m here and alive because of you. You brought me to Yennefer, and she was able to help me. Plus, you saved her too even though I tried stopping you. You cared about her.”

Geralt’s eyes meet his when he says that before sighing and looking away. Jaskier feels that he missed something, that he said the wrong thing.

“Jaskier, she saved _your_ life, I had to stop her.”

It follows the lines of what he told Jaskier that day. _“She saved your life Jaskier, I can’t let her die.”_

“I know Geralt, I’m just saying, you do not need to blame yourself. You are not to blame for the djinn incident and not to blame for my nightmares,” he responds, missing the emphasis of Geralt’s statement. “I will always travel with you as long as you will let me. You’re my best friend,” Jaskier states sincerely before grinning impishly, “The bestest friend who is also the best personal heater.” He snuggles in closer, laughing slightly when Geralt frowns and pulling the blanket over them more. At his laughter, Geralt rolls his eyes, letting out a small huff of amusement. 

“Go to sleep, Jaskier.” 

Listening to the witcher, Jaskier closes his eyes, humming quietly until he fades out into a steady breathing, falling asleep.

He doesn’t know that Geralt stays up the whole night, watching over him, refusing to let any nightmares haunt him again that night until daylight breaks. Come morning, when he wakes, Jaskier will find Geralt packing everything thing up on Roach and Pegasus for them to move on. Jaskier will feel completely rested for once since the nightmares started.

As he watches Geralt pack before getting up to help him, he will appreciate how much the witcher has done for him, especially last night. He cares about Geralt so much, he loves him. Jaskier was sincere when he said he would follow the witcher as long as he let him because right now, there was not any place Jaskier would rather be than here, with Geralt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the love on the first chapter and thank you so much for reading this latest chapter! The final chapter will be up soon!


	3. Chapter 3 - Moments V and +1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fifth time, well, at first Jaskier thought he would never see Geralt again. 
> 
>   
> Plus one where Jaskier finally realizes.

**V.**

The fifth time, well, at first Jaskier thought he would never see Geralt again.

* * *

Jaskier wanted to be any place but here. 

He didn’t want to be here on this mountain, not here in front of Geralt. 

When they started this journey to find the dragon, Jaskier did not anticipate on it ending like this. Where did things go _so_ wrong?

* * *

An old man by the name of Borch Three Jackdaws along with his companions Téa and Véa find him and Geralt. He asks for Geralt to join his team for a dragon hunt. Geralt refuses and refuses and refuses the man until Jaskier just had to ask who the fourth team was. Yennefer and another man. At the reveal of the sorceress, Jaskier laughed nervously and he quickly began thanking them, but they were definitely _not_ getting involved. He tried getting Geralt to leave, but-

“I’m in.”

“Mother of…” Jaskier lets out, looking away, already starting to dread this journey and ignoring the way Geralt and Yennefer’s eyes meet across the room. 

They set off in the morning with the dwarves, the Reavers, Yennefer, and the man she’s helping, Sir Eyck. Jaskier tries to keep a lively mood, but when Yennefer approaches him and Geralt, he can’t help but make scathing remarks, only for her to make one in return. It’s not that he doesn’t like Yennefer… okay maybe he doesn’t. She is both impressive and intimidating. She saved his life, but Jaskier sees the way Geralt looks at her and it makes his heart hurt. 

Jaskier elects to travel alongside Téa and Véa at the back of the group, Geralt in front of him with Borch. The two ladies are like Yennefer, both incredibly impressive and intimidating at once, but they seem to put up with his insufferable self…sort of. He just had to go and make a fool of himself though, by entering the thicket in search of some food only to stumble upon a hirikka. He would defend himself, but he had put down his bag and the dagger Geralt gave him is inside of it. Running away, calling for Geralt, it shall be. 

When Sir Eyck kills the hirikka even though Geralt said to sheath the weapons and continues to attack it once it is dead, Jaskier is disgusted. Geralt looks disappointed as he turns around, explaining that if they had just fed it, it would have left them alone, and stalks off up ahead. 

They eventually settle for the night, all sitting around the campfire. Jaskier writes while they talk, noting down the day’s events so far before switching over to work on the song he was writing before they got themselves into this. He’s still stuck on the same part, and he isn’t really sure on how to fix it, how he wants to write it. His attention is dragged away from his book when Boholt, one of the Reavers, makes his way over and ruins the mood of the evening by being downright creepy, in Jaskier’s opinion, and implying a threat against Geralt. Jaskier finds it humorous though when right afterwards Sir Eyck’s stomach starts making weird noises (he really shouldn’t have eaten what he wasn’t supposed to) and spouts off about not degrading Yennefer’s honor, so much so he can’t help but quip in response to that. 

“I hate to break it to you, but that ship has sailed, wrecked and sunk to the bottom of the ocean,” he snorts. Geralt hits him in the arm, and it is clear he wants Jaskier to knock it off. That doesn’t stop him from pouting and saying, “Ow.” One by one their numbers start to dwindle until eventually it is just their team left by the campfire. 

The next day they find Sir Eyck dead, and Jaskier doesn’t feel that sorry about it except that whoever killed him unfairly caught him off guard. Jaskier also has to watch Geralt trail after Yennefer after she storms off, telling him to go on and that he’ll catch up. He is just about to think that the day couldn’t get any worse when they come up to the edge of the mountainside, and the only way forward is to scuffle along a narrow path against it. Jaskier never thought he would be afraid of heights, oh boy, but is he now. It’s definitely not a good sign either when he nearly falls, but he keeps a tight hold on the chain lining the path. 

_Crack._ The planks break behind Geralt, falling into the thick fog below and leaving Borch and his companions holding desperately onto the chain, or they would meet the same fate. Geralt grabs the chain, trying to help, trying to pull them up.

“Geralt!” Jaskier yells, because if the witcher moves any further, he’ll fall too, and Jaskier can’t see that. 

“Get back!”

Borch tells Geralt to let go; Geralt refuses, he’s always refusing. The plank under Geralt’s feet shifts and creaks dangerously. 

“Geralt! The planks won’t hold!” Yennefer shouts, but Geralt still isn’t listening, still holding onto the chain. Jaskier is nervous. He wants to move, wants to grab the witcher and pull him back from what seems like his inevitable demise. If he does though, there is more of a chance that they will all fall. He can’t even reach him anyways. All he can do is let Geralt decide. Borch decides for him, however. 

“Thank you.” Borch lets go. The trio can only watch as Borch falls back into the fog, disappearing in a matter of seconds. Téa and Véa follow in suit. Jaskier covers his mouth, feeling sick. Yennefer turns away for a second, but her violet eyes shift back to Geralt. Geralt sinks down, shocked, defeated, and disappointed with himself. 

They make it off the side of the mountain, somehow finding the strength to continue forward. They have to set up camp again for the night with the dwarves who had went on ahead, without care for the rest of them. 

Geralt plants himself on a rock and doesn’t move, just staring off into the distance as if he’s trying to find answers. Jaskier can tell he is blaming himself for everything that happened, but it isn’t his fault, it really isn’t. The bard hesitates to go up to him, wanting to give him his space. He’s his friend though, he has to make sure he’s alright. 

When Geralt doesn’t move or snap at him as he approaches, he sits down on the rock next to the witcher. Neither of them speaks at first. Jaskier doesn’t want to sit in silence. He needs to say something, anything. 

“You did your best,” he starts, voice quiet, “There’s nothing else you could have done.” And Geralt won’t look at him, but Jaskier knows if he did, there would be pain written amongst the gold of his eyes. Jaskier looks off into the distance as well, fiddling his hands together, tongue running over his lips as he tries to find the words he wants to say. 

“Look, why don’t we leave tomorrow? That is, if you’ll give me another chance to prove myself a…worthy travel companion.” He knows Geralt already thinks that he is a worthy travel companion, has said it before, but maybe just maybe Geralt will react.

“Hm.” He does, and Jaskier counts it as a success as he sees the slightest upturn of Geralt’s lips as he closes his eyes, almost as if nodding.

“We could head to the coast. Get away for a while. Sounds like something Borch would say, doesn’t it?” He pauses. “Life is too short. Do what pleases you…while you can.”

“Composing your next song?” Geralt questions him, voice rough and hard. He might be jesting; he might not be. 

“No, I’m just, uh… just trying to work out what pleases me,” Jaskier responds seriously. He looks down, before looking at Geralt. He scoots closer to the witcher until their sides are pressed against each other’s, his hand reaching for Geralt’s. As Geralt doesn’t resist, the bard clasps the witcher’s hand in his, tightly. 

Geralt still doesn’t look at him, but Jaskier is okay with that when the witcher squeezes his hand, settling into a tighter hold than what it was.

“We’ll leave in the morning.” Jaskier smiles at that, happy that the witcher is putting himself first for once and giving up with this hunt that has gone so horribly wrong. The two of them sit there for what feels like hours, could have been minutes. When they part, Jaskier heads to set up his bedroll for the night, intending on actually composing his song now, and he tries to not read too much into Geralt going to Yennefer’s tent, not even when he doesn’t come back after a while. Jaskier’s heart doesn’t want to know what could be happening in there. Instead, he goes to sleep and dreams of the coast. The cool breeze rustling his clothes, the waves crashing against the shore spraying mists of sea water, and the sun warming his skin. He dreams of white hair and golden eyes, and hands upon his skin. 

It makes it so much harder when he wakes up completely alone. He calls for Geralt. Yennefer. He even calls for the dwarves, but nobody is around. _Fuck_. And he knows that Geralt went off after the dragon, probably following Yennefer, but it fucking hurts that he left him behind. And Jaskier wants to be mad, upset that Geralt didn’t stick to leaving, and he has half a mind to make his way down the mountain. He doesn’t. He can’t. He cares way too much about the witcher. So, he chases after him as he always does, taking the path that goes farther up the mountain. 

Jaskier eventually comes across the dwarves, but they can’t move and that makes him concerned. He runs past them and he sees all the dead bodies lying around. He questions what happened, he has missed a lot it seems. When he hears movement behind him, he turns, and he jumps at the sight of Téa and Véa approaching him. “Oh, gosh! Oh, bloody hell! What the fuck are you doing here?” are the first words out of his mouth because his mind can’t wrap around this. He saw them let go. They’re supposed to be dead. And then Borch comes out, and Jaskier is still in shock because _what the fuck_?!

Everything said and done, he sits a few feet away from where Geralt, Yennefer, and Borch sit, still not completely understanding what all took place. He would ask Geralt, but Borch is speaking with him and he’s not going to interrupt; it looks serious. 

It all goes to shit. One minute everything is fine and the next, Yennefer and Geralt are arguing with each other, about the last wish Geralt made during the djinn incident. Jaskier perks his head up, this is the first time he’s hearing of it. Borch stops them when they get too heated, and he tells them something they each needed to hear. Yennefer passes by him as she walks away. Jaskier can see the tears in her eyes and he feels bad for her. He wants to go after her and see if she’ll be alright, but Geralt is his priority. He heads for the witcher just as Borch is walking away. 

It all happens too fast. He tries to joke- 

“Damn it, Jaskier! Why is it whenever I find myself in a pile of shit these days, it’s you, shoveling it?”

What? That’s not true. No. No. No. 

“Well, that’s not fair.” He is curt, brief in response, looking down at the witcher, seeing the anger rise in Geralt as his voice does. 

“The Child Surprise, the djinn, all of it! If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands.” The witcher growls out and walks away. 

Jaskier’s heart breaks, shatters, weeps. “Right, uh…right, then. I’ll…I’ll go get the rest of the story from the others.” He pauses, swallowing the lump in his throat. “See you around, Geralt.” It is a decisive statement, a final one. If he says anymore, he will cry, and he will not let Geralt see him cry. He walks away and doesn’t look back. 

A bitter sadness and a burning anger rise inside of him as he makes his way down the mountain alone after quickly gathering the story from the others because it wasn’t fair, it was not _fair_ that Geralt was blaming him for destiny messing up his life. Jaskier can’t help that he just happened to be there every time, it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t _his_ fault. Geralt has never once blamed him for those things, it’s not his fault. 

Everything in him tells him to go back, to go back to the witcher – the man he loves – and shake him and ask him why. Why did he say it? He ignores it. He continues on and on down the mountain, trying to put as much distance as he can between him and the witcher, to the point he is so exhausted, he just falls on his hands and knees. Silent, hot tears run down his face as loud cries make their way out of his chest. Everything hurts, everything fucking _hurts_. It felt like Geralt cut him with his sword instead of his words. He screams and cries and sobs until his throat is raw, his voice gone. 

Jaskier can’t bring himself to move. He needs to though, he knows. He needs to keep going. He doesn’t. With the ounce of energy he has left, he forces himself up only to sit back against a nearby rock. The bard will not go on, not now.

He has had his puffy eyes closed for a moment, when he hears someone walking towards him. His heart twitches at the sound, thinking for a second that it could be the witcher, that he has chased after Jaskier. However, when he opens his eyes, he deflates at the sight of the sorceress. He feels the sadness try to climb back up, but he shoves it down. He will not cry in front of Yennefer either. 

She stops in front of him, and she stares at him, seemingly trying to decide something. Before he knows it, she is surprisingly sitting down next to him. “He broke your heart, didn’t he? He pushed away the one person who would probably follow him, even to death.” Jaskier can’t meet her gaze, tears threatening to spill over again. He does start crying again, but Yennefer doesn’t say anything. Not any snide remarks, cruel quips, nothing. She just huddles closer and comforts him until he cannot cry anymore.

From there on, the bard and the sorceress have a tentative agreement/friendship. Jaskier isn’t really sure what to call it. They make their way down the rest of the mountain together, camping each night. They do start bickering with one another, but it isn’t like before, there’s a kindness behind it, an understanding. Even when they finally reach the tavern where all of this has started, she remains and makes sure that Jaskier will be okay on his own. He assures her that he will, tells her how much he appreciated her company and after a surprising hug, he rides away on Pegasus. Away from the stupid mountain, away from Geralt.

* * *

They find their way back to each other. They always do. 

It doesn’t matter long they have been apart, him and Geralt always find each other in the end. 

It has been over a year since the witcher yelled at him, since he hurled those cruel words at Jaskier. Sadness and bitterness consumed him for the longest time, some days he still has a deep ache in his heart that won’t go away. He pushed his feelings into his song writing, finishing the one he was working on before the mountain. Taking a piece of his heart, longing and heartache and lust found its way into words and from words, into a melody, into a song. The people at the taverns ate it up when he found the courage to finally play it. It wasn’t enough to drive away the emotions that raged inside him, not enough to stop him from wanting to seek Geralt out every time he heard a mention of him, but it was a start.

Jaskier eventually made his way to the coast, like he had wanted to. It was there that he was able to find some resemblance of peace. With the cool breeze dancing along his skin, inside of him he found a little bit of forgiveness. Geralt wasn’t really upset with him no, there were too many memories, to many moments shared between them that said otherwise. No, Geralt was upset with himself, upset with the path that destiny had set him on, that he couldn’t outrun it any longer. The witcher is poor at communication most of the time, and he took out his frustration on Jaskier. While that doesn’t make it okay that Geralt did that, Jaskier begins to understand. At least this is what Jaskier tells himself to convince away the stinging sadness when he lays awake at night. Upon those thoughts, he almost seeks out the witcher, caves in. He’s not ready though. He doesn’t know what he’ll do, how he’ll feel if he sees Geralt in person. 

He continues to avoid him. If he hears whispers and rumors that Geralt is in one town or even that a town has some sort of witcher-type work, he heads in the opposite direction. He does this again and again and again until it seems destiny has finally had enough and decides to take things into their own hands. 

He is playing at a tavern in Posada, coincidentally the same one that he and Geralt met in all those years ago. Coin is coin though, and he tries not to think of that as he plays, but his eyes still sweep over the same corner that he first spotted the witcher brooding in. 

Jaskier makes his way through the people in the tavern, spinning and slinking around the tables and chair. His back is facing the tavern door when it opens, so he spins around to face the newcomer as if welcoming them. 

The world stops. Or so it seems. 

Jaskier sharply stops playing his lute, his eyes hooked on the golden eyes in front of him. He can hear some of the people question why he quit playing suddenly, but the only thing Jaskier can really focus on is his heart hurting at the sight of the man. _Geralt_.

Jaskier’s always worn his heart on his sleeve, so he knows the witcher can see the pain written on his face. It’s too much, too overwhelming. He has to get out of here, they’re not going to do this here. He pushes his way to the bar, stopping long enough to put his lute back in it’s case and telling the barkeeper he would be right back, and then heads in the direction of the door where the witcher still stands.

Geralt opens his mouth to say something, but Jaskier moves past him and outside. He knows the witcher will follow him, maybe. He walks to the side of the building, but still far enough from it to give them some sort of privacy. 

His back is still to the witcher when they stop. Jaskier can’t look at him, not yet. 

“Jaskier,” the witcher says, soft and almost pleading.

Jaskier takes a deep breath and turns around, studying the man before him. Geralt looks the same as ever physically, yet also seems worn and there is a softness to him that Jaskier can’t place. “Hello Geralt,” he finally says, and he can see the witcher’s shoulders relax now that Jaskier has actually said something to him. 

“Jaskier, I-”

“No, stop. You said on that damn mountain that you wanted me to leave, that if life could give you _one_ blessing, it would be to take me away. I gave you what you wanted! I left! No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much misery I was in. I spent so much of my life with you, and I thought I meant something more than just the bard who followed you around, only for you to say those cruel and awful words.” Jaskier stepped forward and fisted his hands in Geralt’s shirt, pulling him closer. “I…You can’t just come here and- and- you just can’t.” He hiccups. Fresh tears slide down his face, and he tears his gaze away from Geralt. He thought he would be ready for this, for them to meet again after all this time. 

“Jaskier, I’m so sorry.” Geralt grabs his hands, gently pulling them away from their hold on his shirt. However, he doesn’t let go of them, instead holding them tightly as if Jaskier would disappear if he let go. “I’m terribly sorry for everything I said. I’ve missed you.”

Jaskier lets out an indignant laugh. “Really? You’ve missed me? Why did it take you over a year to seek me out then? Why Geralt?” And he knows it is not fair, because Jaskier did his best to avoid the witcher, but if Geralt did actually care, he could have found him. 

“I didn’t know how to face you, not after what I said. I know it might sound silly, but I was scared. I wasn’t sure how you’d react if I’d suddenly show up in your life again,” Geralt explains and he sounds like he means it. Jaskier removes his hand from Geralt’s causing Geralt to frown, but Jaskier wraps his arms around the witcher’s neck, burying his head in the crevasse where his shoulder and neck meet. 

“You fucktwat, you have got to work on your communication skills, I swear,” and Jaskier knows that he is staining Geralt’s shirt with his tears, but that’s okay, he can deal with it. Geralt is tense at first, yet he settles for hugging Jaskier back, pressing his cheek into the side of Jaskier’s head. They hug for the longest time almost like time stopped around them.

“I’ve missed you too, Geralt.” Jaskier eventually mumbles. 

Geralt pulls away from him, and Jaskier is confused. Geralt presses his forehead against Jaskier’s, eyes closed, and his hand wraps around the back of Jaskier’s neck. His breath brushes against Jaskier’s lips, sending tingles down his spine. They are so close, Jaskier thinks that Geralt might ki-

Geralt leans his head back and opens his eyes. “Come with me please. That is…if you’ll give me another chance to prove myself a worthy travel companion.” 

And Jaskier realizes he can’t really say no to him. He still loves the witcher, especially when he uses his own cheesy line against him. His heart forgave Geralt long ago, his mind was just a little behind. “Of course, I will Geralt. Just…you can’t do that to me again. I thought for the longest time that you really didn’t care about me-”

“I promise. I care about you Jaskier. I always have and always will.” Jaskier’s breath hitches and his heart rises at the words. He watches as Geralt’s eyebrows knit in contemplation, before he’s pulling away from Jaskier, though he still holds his hand. “There’s someone you have to meet first.”

Jaskier deflates a little. “Oh? Who?”

“Ciri.” Jaskier lights back up at the name. He had heard of what happened to Cintra, but he could only hope that the princess had gotten away; she was Geralt’s child surprise.

“You found her? Oh Geralt, that’s wonderful. Wait, has she been travelling with you all this time? Poor girl, having to put up with you.” Jaskier jests lightly falling back into a familiar comfortability with the witcher as he leads them out from the side of the building, still holding his hand. They stop and grab Jaskier’s lute before heading in the direction of where Geralt left Ciri waiting with Roach.

Things are alright now.

**+1.**

After that, it takes Jaskier a little bit to get used to travelling with others after travelling on his own and the loss of Geralt, but he bounces back soon enough and fits right in with Geralt again and the addition of Princess Cirilla. Ciri and Jaskier click right away. He helps her pick out new clothes that she desperately needs (which he also chides Geralt on for not doing sooner), she listens to him play whenever he’s on his lute, and they bond over making Geralt’s life a living hell. 

He learns a lot about her. The girl has nightmares, something he knows all too well about dealing with. He comforts her when she wakes up at night screaming and crying. He doesn’t know exactly what she has been through, but he holds her close and sings quietly until she falls back asleep. She also has powers, like her mother, who Jaskier remembers very well. Geralt has Ciri train with him, but sometimes Yennefer appears to take Ciri with her to hone her magical abilities. 

But by far, Jaskier’s favorite thing is that Ciri likes to pick flowers sometimes. She gives the flowers, mostly buttercups, to Jaskier. Jaskier is delighted the first time it happens, tucking the flower behind his ear, but then she asks if he can braid them into her hair, which of course he happily does. From there, Geralt also gets roped into it, and now every time Ciri gives him flowers of any kind, they end up braided into Geralt’s hair or hers.

Speaking of the witcher, since they reunited, Geralt has been different. Not in a bad way, simply different. There has been a lot of touching, just subtle brushes against him through the day, that let Jaskier know that he is there. There’s also been more communicating as well. Geralt is still pretty quiet most of the time and they still have their usual bantering, but sometimes in the quiet moments Geralt will tell Jaskier stories from before Jaskier met him, about witchers, about the things he’s seen. He’ll listen to Jaskier tell Ciri about their adventures but will throw in his own input where he sees fit. Even though Jaskier tells him all the time that he doesn’t have to go out of his way to earn his forgiveness, he’s already been forgiven, Geralt still continues on and Jaskier isn’t sure why. It is nice though, especially when it leads to moments like this:

Him and Geralt are in the woods with their camp already set up as they plan to stay during the night so Geralt can hunt for his contract. They have to wait for the sun to set, since the monster only comes out at night. 

Ciri is with Yennefer right now and will be until Geralt is ready to make his way to Kaer Morhen. Once he is, Ciri will return and join him and Jaskier in going. Jaskier is buzzed with excitement to go not only because they will be staying in one place for the winter, but also because he will get to meet the other witchers Geralt has told him about and explore around the old keep. 

Jaskier isn’t _surprised_ that in some point in the afternoon he ends up with his head resting on Geralt’s lap, with Geralt sitting against the tree looking out to the rest of the forest. He strums his lute lazily, humming melodies and bit of songs old and new. The whole forest feels alive around him with the rustling of the trees, the birds chirping somewhere. The sunlight peeks in through the leaves casting shadows that bounce everywhere. 

His eyes shift to the witcher above him, his strumming coming to a lull. He studies Geralt’s face. Geralt looks so content and relaxed in this moment, and Jaskier knows Geralt doesn’t get this very often. Jaskier can’t even imagine everything he’s been through; he has only been by the witcher’s side for a couple of decades. 

The thought of that makes Jaskier think of when they first met with him going up to the witcher in the tavern in Posada asking the witcher his thoughts on his singing. Geralt tried to get rid of him, he really did, but Jaskier was determined to stay by his side even when no one else would. And now here they are, Jaskier laying on him, Geralt running his fingers through Jaskier’s hair and- _oh_. 

Geralt’s eyes flicker to Jaskier’s, catching his staring. The witcher cocks his head slightly in concern rather than saying anything. Untangling his hand from his hair to move it across to Jaskier’s chest, Geralt taps two fingers against his heart. _Stupid enhanced witcher hearing_ , Jaskier thinks as he realizes what must’ve alerted Geralt was the change in his heartbeat when he realized. 

“You love me,” Jaskier blurts out causing Geralt to freeze before he smiles, a genuine smile and he huffs. He’s _laughing_. Jaskier could listen to that sound forever. Right now, he has a more concerning matter though. 

“Aw come on, don’t be rude,” Jaskier sits up now shifting around to face him. “I’m not wrong, am I?” Maybe he spoke too soon, maybe – but Geralt looks at him like he is his world and no, no, Jaskier is sure of it. “How long?”

Geralt becomes quiet at that, taking Jaskier’s hand and intertwining their fingers. Jaskier feels his cheeks heat up. He runs his thumb over Geralt’s as he waits for him to respond. 

“I started caring about you before this, but when you got into the fight with those guys in the tavern years ago. It was so reckless for you to do that, but you did it to defend my honor and I – that solidified my feelings for me.” It’s Geralt’s turn to blush as he ducks his head to avoid meeting Jaskier’s gaze. Jaskier blinks at Geralt’s statement. Since the tavern. Geralt and him realized they loved each other around the same time. 

Shaking his head with a laugh, he reaches for Geralt, pulling him close. He cups his hands around Geralt’s face, tilting his head up. There’s a moment of hesitation between them, but then they are kissing, finally. 

They kiss like it is the end of the world. Hands everywhere as their lips touch together over and over, desperate and pleading. 

Jaskier is the first to pull back, not because he necessarily wants to, but because he has to ask. Geralt frowns when Jaskier does this, but Jaskier holds his hand up to let him speak. “What about Yennefer?”

Geralt sighs and leans his head back against the tree. “Yennefer and I were together on more than one occasion between the djinn incident until I spoke with her on the mountain. We haven’t been like that since. I meant it when I said the reason I saved Yennefer from the djinn is because she saved _you_. But then I tied myself to her with my wish and you didn’t seem to reciprocate when I sort of confessed, so I continued to see her. She made me realize how ‘daft’ I was being when I went to her tent that night on the mountain.”

“Wait, when did you sort of confess?” Jaskier asks, racking his brain, trying figure out when Geralt of Rivia supposedly declared his love for him. 

“That night you had the nightmare, I told you I saved Yennefer because of you.”

“What? Geralt, really? That’s not confessing your love for me!” Jaskier whines. 

“Sure, it is, the emphasis was on the _you_ , Jaskier. Maybe you’re just oblivious.” 

“You take that back right now! I am NOT oblivious.” And they are both laughing at one another, at their silliness, at how long it took for them to finally get it right.

When they settle down again, Jaskier brushes his lips against Geralt’s once more. “I love you, but you know, we could have done this whole kissing thing a lot sooner if you didn’t use quiet affections. You have really got to work on that-”

“Shut up Jaskier,” Geralt playfully growls, pulling the bard onto his lap, causing Jaskier to yelp, before effectively shutting him up with some more ‘quiet affections’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading the final chapter of my first fanfic! I hope you enjoyed!


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